The Art Of Protection
by metric-electric
Summary: title may change Kagome is getting with many different guys, giving Inuyasha a taste of his own medicine for all those times he was with Kikyou. What will Inuyasha do to keep Kagome as his and ONLY his?
1. Victory Dance

Jami – YES! I KNOW I KNOW! I started ANOTHER story! My other stories are all on hiatus for the time being due to serious writers block… or laziness… I don't really know which one is the real reason. BUT if you're waiting for those stories to be completed, then you could read this little story in your spare time! I like this one actually, and although it may be a bit cliché, I don't care! Ahahhahahaha! ENJOY!

Chapter One: Victory Dance

"Inuyasha."

"…What?"

"Go away."

"Don't tell me to go away! I'm here to take you back! It's been way more than just three days and now you're going on something called a date?"

"Inuyasha! I promised Hojo. He-"

"Well Hojo needs to find someone else!" Inuyasha cut her off.

"Why?" Kagome flipped around, staring him in the face as the two stood in her room.

"Because you're supposed to be back with the rest of us, so STOP lollygagging and get your backpack."

"Don't tell me what to do! You're the one who needs ME! Without me you could never find the shards on your own! I'm the only one who can see them remember?"

Inuyasha sputtered, and then regained his stature. With a smirk and a small glint in his eyes, he said, "No. You're not."

Kagome was taken aback. "Wh-what are you saying Inuyasha?" Inuyasha leaned against her wall near her desk and crossed his arms.

"I don't need _you_ Kagome. Sure… I might not be able to find the shards on my own, but if you're not willing to come and help us then…" He paused. "Then we could always find someone else who can see them." Inuyasha peered up at her.

The words stung into Kagome's skin and pierced her chest, causing her to lose her focus on keeping their gazes locked. She turned away.

Inuyasha immediately felt bad for the words that came flying through his mouth. He realized that the topic of Kikyou was a very sensitive area on her part and that she would succumb to him because of that. Even though it was an absolutely terrible thing to do, he was desperate for her to come back.

But she hadn't said anything yet. And he was wondering just exactly what she was thinking…

Finally she spoke.

"Inuyasha. Is that how you really feel? That you would rather have Kikyou look for the shards with all of you instead of me? Do you really hate me that much?"

Inuyasha's mouth hung open as Kagome began to cry.

"Ka-Kagome! Why would you even think something like that?" Inuyasha rushed over towards her and flipped her around so she would face him, but Kagome still neglected to make eye contact and continued to cry. "Kagome, you know DAMN well that I DON'T hate you."

"Then why don't you show me that you LIKE me?" Kagome threw at him.

Inuyasha sputtered again, but grasped his fingers tightly around her shoulders. They finally made eye contact. Inuyasha's blush reddened and Kagome stood there in silence, tears streaming down her face.

Without thinking Inuyasha's face inched closer to Kagome's, still staring each other in the face. Kagome realized what was approaching and she closed her eyes.

It was at the point where their lips were so close and just centimeters apart. Losing his nerve, Inuyasha's face inched sideways and whispered into her ear.

"Because I'm afraid of hurting you."

Kagome's eyes whipped open to see…her empty room.

Inuyasha was gone. He had left her alone again.

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A few hours later, Kagome and Hojo were steadily walking up the stairs of the Higurashi shrine. Their date was finally over and to tell you the truth, Kagome was pretty damn exhausted from a night at the karaoke bar. That Hojo just didn't know when to stop with the dumb duet love songs!

The two reached Kagome's front door and they stood there awkwardly. Kagome smiled up at Hojo.

"Well Hojo. Thanks for a wonderful night. I really had a lot of fun." Hojo blushed a little and smiled back at her.

"No problem, Kagome. You needed a fun night out after all of those days you've been sick and caged up in your room for so long."

"Yes, I know." Kagome inwardly rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll see you at school on Monday, Hojo. It was nice seeing you." Kagome felt a light tug on the sleeve of her t-shirt and turned back around to see a red-faced Hojo. "Hojo, what is it?"

"Um. I've been wanting to ask you this all night but I figured that when I walked you home it would be better."

"What do you want to ask me?"

"Kagome… uhh… can I… can I kiss you?" Kagome blushed from his amusing question as Hojo blushed even redder.

"Heh. Sure Hojo." Kagome closed her eyes and immediately remembered earlier with Inuyasha. She quickly opened them up again as Hojo was about to lean in.

"Kagome? Is something the matter?"

"Huh? Oh, no! Nothing! I'm fine! Just forget about it!" Kagome regained her composure and closed her eyes again, blocking away the vision of Inuyasha's nervous face inching towards her out of her mind.

Hojo's lips brushed against Kagome's softly in a cute, innocent schoolboy and schoolgirl like manner. After a few seconds he released her lips and smiled down at her feeling very giddy.

"Wow. Thanks Kagome. I'll talk to you later!" Hojo chuckled and left to walk home.

Kagome smiled a sad smile and went inside, taking off her flip-flops and calling out quietly, "I'm home." before trotting to her bedroom.

She closed her bedroom door behind her and sighed heavily. She dropped her black purse to the floor immediately forgetting about it and began walking to her bed. That's when she saw him. Inuyasha sitting there on her nicely made mattress with a smirk on his face.

"How was your date, Kagome?" He got up off the bed and walked over towards her and crossed his arms.

"None of your business, Inuyasha."

"It is so my business. Everything about you is my business."

"Excuse me? Why is that?"

Inuyasha sniffed the air lightly.

"Kagome. Why is your scent different? Why do I smell… _him_… on you?"

"Well, I _was_ on a date with him. Duh."

"No. I mean… I smell him… _on_ you. Did he touch you?"

"I don't know. Probably."

"Where?"

"Inuyasha! Keep it down! My family is trying to sleep!" Kagome hissed at him.

"Kagome! Why would you let him touch you!"

"Because he asked me to!"

"What? Who cares if he asked you to! Why him of all people?"

Kagome clenched her fists.

"Because he's the only one who _wants_ to touch me!"

Inuyasha's eyes saddened and Kagome's burned with fury and tears.

"Kagome, where did he touch you? I _need_ to know this."

"Why _do_ you _need_ to know this so badly?" Kagome rolled her eyes.

"So I can prevent it from happening again."

"Wha-? Why would you go and prevent someone from touching me?"

"Because." Inuyasha grunted childishly.

Kagome groaned.

"Whatever! If you really need to know so badly…" Kagome sighed. "He… he _kissed_ me."

Inuyasha sputtered. "He-He _kissed_ you?" Inuyasha leaned in very closely and sniffed softly at her mouth, breathing in the scent of her and Hojo's different smells. Kagome blushed at the feeling of her mouth being sniffed at and backed away.

"Inuyasha! Don't do that!"

"Women…" He gave one last sniff and then he turned away and crossed his arms. His eyes grew pained and he didn't want Kagome to see how much he felt for her, just by looking into his eyes.

"Inuyasha… you're not… jealous, are you?"

"Feh." Inuyasha sat down on her bed cross-legged and looked off into the distance. "I'm sleeping here tonight."

"Eh?" Kagome blushed scarlet. "B-bu-but, Inuyasha!" Kagome marched over towards her bed and glared angrily and embarrassed at him. "You can't just do that! What would my family think if they saw _you and me_ in a bed? _A_ bed?"

"They'd think that I was protecting you."

"From what?"

"From stupid little boys that want to kiss you."

Kagome stood still. "I have a question."

"Well, then. I have an answer."

"Inuyasha. I want a completely honest answer. I want you to tell me the exact truth. Why do you want so badly for no guys other than yourself to be around me and why are you always insisting that you protect me and not anybody else? Why do you say you dislike me so much when everything you do shows that you truly care for me?"

Inuyasha sat calmly. So calmly it was making Kagome nervous and angrier by the second.

"Kagome." He spoke her name so softly and respectfully, Kagome had to gasp. "It's because… I think of you as… my other half. I think of you as mine. To me… you're my _mate_."

Kagome gasped again, this time her cheeks bright beet red. "Inu-Inuyasha!"

"What! You don't think I'm telling you the truth!" Inuyasha's face was equally as red as hers. "Because I meant every word, damnit!"

Kagome regained herself and smiled down at him from her standing position… which then became a sitting position. Inuyasha felt something soft and warm on his shoulder. He peered down to find Kagome sitting beside him on her bed, her head resting peacefully against him. Her eyes were closed and her lips were curved into a small smile.

Inuyasha smiled back at her, closing his own eyes and resting his head upon hers.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"I think of you as my mate too."

"Hm." Inuyasha secretly did a victory dance in the comfort of his own thoughts.

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Jami – Well, what didja's think? Good? Keep going? I NEED ANSWERS! Love ya!

Jami-chan


	2. Things Only Got Better

Jami – Okay second chapter! Hope you all enjoy this one!

And thanks for all of the great reviews! It gave me some will to keep writing! YAY!

Chapter Two: Things Only Got Better

"Ready?"

"Uh huh. Yep."

Kagome hoisted her yellow backpack over her shoulder and smiled over at Inuyasha. Kagome was quite surprised at him this morning. He was actually being nice to her.

Of course he had always been… well… nice at _times_… but this morning it was different. Then again, he did tell her last night that he thought of her as his mate. That was obviously the cause of this change.

"Okay. C'mon Kagome." Inuyasha smiled back at her and took a hold of her hand, tightly wrapping his fingers around hers protectively.

Kagome beamed. This whole situation was making her super happy. She now knew that she had somehow managed to hold a place in Inuyasha's heart, and that made her swell with joy.

She wondered if Inuyasha was feeling the same…

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Back in the feudal era, things only got better.

"Here Kagome. I'll make the ramen."

Kagome gasped. Miroku scratched his chin. Sango's eyes bugged out. Shippou's mouth hung open.

"B-but, Inuyasha!"

"What?" He took the small packages from her.

"But you don't know how to cook it!"

"Would you teach me?"

Kagome paused, and then smiled. "Su-sure."

Sango breathed in and relaxed. She peered over at Miroku, who was sitting there calmly, with his eyes closed. She quietly nudged him. He opened one eye and looked over at her. She nodded her head towards the woods as she got up from her sitting position.

Sango smiled and turned towards Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippou. "Ah. I'll be right back. I think I might've dropped something on our way here." Kagome smiled up at her friend.

"Okay Sango. Just don't get lost."

"Oh! I won't! Ah-ha!" She grabbed Miroku's arm and began dragging him towards the woods. "I'll just bring Miroku with me! He'll make sure I won't wander off and get lost!" Sango laughed nervously and Miroku wailed and groaned as he was carried over dirt and rocks.

Kagome's eyes grew large at the site. "What just happened? She seemed fine a minute ago. And why would she want to bring Miroku with her anyway? That's odd."

"Don't worry about it Kagome." Shippou told her from helping Inuyasha with opening the packages. "Sango probably just wants to have a moment with Miroku to tell him how much she loves him."

"You think so?" Kagome clasped her hands together and her eyes were swallowed by a dreamy-looking state. "How romantic!"

"Feh. Yeah right. Like that's gonna happen. Sango hates Miroku." Inuyasha interjected innocently.

Shippou hit himself on the head and Kagome sighed.

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"Sango! What were you thinking? You just made us look really suspicious out there!"

"Miroku, this is not the time! I wanted to speak with you alone so we could discuss Kagome and Inuyasha."

"Ah. Yes." Miroku relaxed his shoulders and scratched his chin again. After a moment, he swept his hand through his hair and grinned. "Sango. You have much to learn. It's quite obvious what is going on between those two."

"Miroku. Don't be getting those perverted thoughts in your head! Kagome isn't like that!"

"Sure. You may think that now, but if you're wrapped in the arms of the one you love, you're never positive what's going to happen." Sango blushed.

"Sh-she would never!" Sango crossed her arms. "I don't believe you."

"Think about it Sango. Just imagine yourself in the fantasy."

"Excuse me!"

"What im trying to say is imagine yourself with the one you love."

Sango blushed as red as you could get. Miroku continued.

"You're so wrapped up in your lover that you don't care what happens. All you want is to be with that one person forever. Or at least until the next eye candy comes along…"

SLAP

"You're horrible."

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Jami – okay folks, I know it was short, but I had to give you guys _something_! And don't worry! The plot _is_ forming. I already have it all in my head. So don't get your panties in a bunch:shakes fist:

Love you guys!

Jami-chan


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